Wizball
Alternative title: Wizzball  (on Disk and Tape)
Platform: Commodore 64
Gametype: Undefined
Publisher: Ocean
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After the evil Zark has deprived Wizworld of all colours, Wizard Wiz and his cat Nifta take off to make their grey world coloured again. 

Wizworld consists of several layers between which the wizard and his cat can switch via tubes and craters. In each layer various enemies are lurking, but also the colour drops in demand. Those drops first have to be shot by the wizard before the can be collected by the cat. 

Unfortunately, this is not quite as easy as it may appear; Wiz starts his quest alone. At the beginning, he can only bounce up and down with his Wizball in a rather uncoordinated manner. With some upgrades shaped like pearls and activated with joystick wiggling you can enhance his manoeuvrability, get extra weaponry and finally conjure up the cat, who can either be controlled by keeping the fire button pushed down or by a second player via the other joystick port. 

In each level you have to mix a certain colour. Usually you have to visit several layers, because you only get the basic colours and have to combine them. The layers only provide drops of a certain colour. 

When the needed colour drops are collected, a bonus level is launched, providing upgrades, score and even extra lives if you hang on long enough without collision. After the bonus level Wiz mixes the colours in his house, while Nifta refreshes herself. During this sequence the player may chose a permanent upgrade which remains active even after the loss of a life. 

The title screen is rather simple, but very colourful due to raster bar effects. The same is true for the actual game, after some colour has been collected. 

 Hints 

When you press space in the start screen, you are provided with Wiztips, a short manual. 

You can play the game alone, in a team (player two controls the cat) or a multiplayer mode by turns. So in fact it is possible that up to four players participate when two teams play against each other. 

 Games options in the start screen 
 One Player - one player controls Wizball and Catelite 
 Two Player - one player against another in turns 
 Two Player Team - Wiz and Cat with each its own controls play together 
 Three Player - a team against a single player in turns 
 Four Player - a team against another team in turns 
 By pressing the "space" key you can call up a short manual (see Wiztips). 

 Controls 

 With joystick 1 (port is defined by a press on the fire button) the one player option WIZ and CATELITE at the same time is controlled and in the 2-, 3-, and 4-player option WIZ alone. 
 With joystick 2 CATELITE is controlled in the 2-, 3-, and 4-player option. 
 - makes Wizball rotate counter-clockwise 
 - makes Wizball rotate clockwise 
 - use chosen weapon 
 - control Catelite in the one player mode (keep fire button pressed) 
 - shaking left/right chosses the extra that is flashing at the upper border of the screen 

 Icons 

When certain aliens are hit, they leave a green pearl behind that stays motionless on the screen. If Wizball collects this, the first icon on the upper rim of the screen starts to flash, which shows that Wiz can choose the extra which this icon displays. If you want to choose another extra you need to collect more green perls until the corresponding icon lights up. 
 The icons from left to right: 
Icon 1 
 Thrust - gives Wiz more control over the Wizball and allows him to move it right and left. 
 Anti Grav - gives Wiz total control over the Wizball and stops the bouncing. 
Icon 2 
 Beam - Wiz will be equipped with "Supa-Beam" (shield above/below) 
 Double - Wiz and Cat will be equipped with double-sided shooting 
Icon 3 
 Catelite - Wiz gets his cat 
Icon 4 
 Blazers - Wiz and Cat are equipped with a stronger laser 
Icon 5 
 Wiz Spray - spray shot for Wiz 
 Cat Spray - spray shot for Cat (not both of them can own the spray shot) 
Icon 6 
 Smart Bomb - destroys every enemy on the screen 
Icon 7 
 Shields - protective shield for Wiz and Cat for a short time 

 Solution 

Colour mixtures Level 1 	 100% red 	 50% red + 50% blue 	 50% green + 50% blue 
Level 2 	 25% red + 50% green + 25% blue 	 75% red + 25% green 	 50% red + 50% green 
Level 3 	 100% blue 	 50% red + 50% blue 	 50% green + 50% blue 
Level 4 	 25% red + 50% green + 25% blue 	 100% green 	 50% red + 50% green 
Level 5 	 100% red 	 75% red + 25% green 	 50% green + 50% blue 
Level 6 	 100% blue 	 50% red + 50% blue 	 50% red + 50$ green 
Level 7 	 100% red 	 50% red + 50% blue 	 50% red + 50% green 
Level 8 	 25% red + 50% green + 25% blue 	 50% red + 25% green + 25% blue 	 50% green + 50% blue 

Map of the passages between the levels/layers 
Level 1 I  --------------------------------------------H---
Level 2 I  -H----------------------------------------------
Level 3 I  --------------------------------------------H---
Level 4 I  -D-H-D--------------------------------------D---
Level 5 I  -D------------------------------------------H---
Level 6 I  -H-D----------------------------------------D---
Level 7 I  --------------------------------------------D---
Level 8 I  ------------------------------------------------
(H=high, D=down)

 Cheats 

 Type in "borewiz" (without inverted commas) in the player selection screen to make Wizball invulnerable except for the bonus level. 
 The version by "Remember" has next to a saveable highscore list and a manual also all types of cheat modes.

Early version
Ocean presented to Happy Computer an early version with the name "Wizzball" in February 1987. Even then the scrolling and the "water melon" - pawn were impressive ...


http://www.c64-wiki.com/index.php/wizball
